Boosting Universities in Iraqi Kurdistan Program Helps Educators Forge Relationships with Their Counterparts at Virginia Tech
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a monthly publication of outreach and international affairs spotlight on the language and culture institute volume 2, issue 12 Boosting universities in Iraqi Kurdistan Program helps educators forge relationships with their counterparts at Virginia Tech By Rich Mathieson When a university group from Iraq’s northern Kurdish region traveled to study at Virginia Tech this summer, their home was at peace. But by the time the 14 administrators and faculty members arrived in Blacksburg, fighters with the Islamic State had taken surprise aim at the region’s capital and more than 1,700 people had been killed. “In our region, there was an anxiety against these terrorist forces, but when we left, there was not the sense that Irbil was in danger,” said Hawraz Hama, of the University of Raparin, about 70 miles east Participants in the Iraqi Kurdistan Rural Universities Partnership Program pose on graduation day of the Kurdish capital. “But it’s important with professors and administrators from the Language and Culture Institute. for us to come to Virginia Tech and be part of this program, because in our country Iraq and run by the Virginia Tech Language of militant groups such as the Islamic State, higher education needs to be improved. and Culture Institute in partnership with also known as ISIS or ISIL. This could be a turning point in my life.” the Washington nonprofit IREX. The program’s goal is to build sustainable “Universities are the places where we can The educators were part the Iraqi Kurdistan relationships between universities in lead society to be a model society,” said Rural Universities Partnership Program, an rural Kurdistan and the U.S. and to help Paiman Ahmad, from Raparin. “When we initiative funded by the U.S. Embassy in advance English language departments in build up our education, we start seeing the region. In addition to Raparin, improvements elsewhere.” TURKEY the program also includes the University of Halabja and the “One of our main goals was to move from IRAN University of Zakho. Each was a ‘classical’ model of teaching, where founded in the past 10 years. a professor stands and lectures with very little interaction with students, to Mosul Irbil Participants say the program, which a ‘modern’ model and student-centered has just been authorized for a teaching,” Ahmad said. “The old way is Kirkuk SYRIA second year at Virginia Tech, is vital continued on back Iraqi Kurdistan because strengthening the region’s education system is key to fostering Region long-term stability. Such initiatives, they say, can also help stem the rise IRAQ Baghdad outbursts information about the United States came from TV or movies,” Hama said. “I expected that American people to be, let’s say, not helpful, based on the movies. But when I arrived in Washington, and at Virginia Tech, I found that on the contrary, American people are very helpful and very friendly, and they are ready to help if you need help.” In Blacksburg, participants met with university leaders, observed classes, conducted research, and participated in a variety of cultural experiences, including a hike up the Cascades and a trip to hear the old-time music at the Floyd Country Store’s famous Friday Night Jamboree. Returning results Mohammed said he was returning home The Language and Culture Institute’s Elsie Paredes (left) and Liz Bowles (second from left), who both taught with a sense of optimism, despite the courses in Iraqi Kurdistan as part of the program, talk with participants at The Inn at Virginia Tech. ongoing violence. “I have lots of ideas now on how the University of Raparin can common across Iraq, but we are younger, and student and faculty exchanges. continue to succeed,” he said. we want to embed new technology, new pedagogy to help us stand out.” In-country and online Hama said he has already instituted The program began in January with changes at his university based on what he Developing relationships intensive workshops in Irbil. Led by faculty learned during the program. The university Lori Mason, the project director at IREX, from the Language and Culture Institute, has approved curriculum reforms that said the U.S. Embassy has a keen interest the training focused on topics such as he says will better prepare future English in supporting these rural universities. “The curriculum design and instructional methods teachers. Courses on some traditional Iraqi Kurdistan region has been developing for English language faculty as well as linguistic subjects were eliminated and very quickly over the past 20 years. In the academic leadership. Participants were ones on classroom management, teaching urban areas, the development is rapid, introduced to tools such as Moodle, an open- methodologies, and materials design and there are a lot of opportunities for source learning platform. Ribwar Mohammed, were added. Hama said the Virginia Tech engagement with the outside academic who is in charge of curriculum development program “accelerated the process of community. That hasn’t been the case for at Raparin, said his university is already improving the quality of education at our the rural university,” she said. using the online course management new established universities.” system to help professors interact with According to Mason, the program was their students. Back said IREX has approved Virginia Tech designed so that colleagues in Kurdistan to continue the program in 2015. and the U.S. would develop mutual Back said Moodle allows Raparin faculty understanding and cultural awareness in to put syllabi online and provides greater order to establish sustainable relationships access to students. “It’s gratifying,” he said, and professional networks for academic “to see firsthand something that we had Language and Culture Institute 840 University City Blvd. collaboration. introduced being very effectively used.” Blacksburg, VA 24061 Don Back directs the Language and Culture Following the workshops, the institute’s n Don Back, director 540-231-6963 Institute and led workshops for the Kurdish faculty led semesterlong online courses. “It [email protected] administrators. He said the program is an was intensive training,” said Hama, the chair example of Virginia Tech’s land-grant mission. of Raparin’s English department. “We faced Outbursts is a publication of different assignments regarding leadership, Outreach and International Affairs “From a global higher-education professional development, university Guru Ghosh, vice president perspective, it’s in the interest of both Susan Short, associate vice president governance, and being a good leader. It for engagement U.S. and international universities to was also good to be introduced to so many form partnerships,” Back said. “Such new online tools.” Editorial and graphics staff collaborations allow us at Virginia Tech Andrea Brunais, 540-231-4691 Keith Pierce, 540-231-7966 to really share the best of our university The program’s capstone experience Rich Mathieson, 540-231-1419 while also helping address the specific brought the Kurdish educators to Virginia Miriam Rich, 540-231-4153 challenges that confront Iraqi Kurdistan.” Tech for three weeks. For many, it was their On the Web first trip to the United States. www.outreach.vt.edu/outbursts Ultimately, he said, the partnership could lead to collaborative research opportunities “Before coming to Virginia Tech, most of my www.outreach.vt.edu.